General Information
Parrotfish is the name of a group of about 75 kinds of fish that is called the Scaridae family, live close to coral reefs in tropical and subtropical waters. They get their interesting name from their different front teeth, which look like a parrot's beak. Most Parrotfish grow to well over 12 inches in length in an aquarium, and the largest member of this family reaches an adult size of over 60 inches in length in the wild. There are almost 80 species of Parrot fish known to mankind. 4.Parrot Fish are closely related to the fish called Wrasse.
Appearance and Size
Most Parrotfish range in size from 4 inches to more than 4 feet. They have big bodies with huge, thick scales. Most parrotfish are brightly colored, and most change their color during their lifetime. In some kinds, a fish born female will later become a male. Parrot Fish can be distinctly recognized by there beak like teeth. To the left, is a picture of a grown parrot fish. 2) How do parrot fish eat?
Parrot fish usually eat algae which they scrape off rocks and corals with their big strong teeth. Most parrotfish eat sea grass close to coral reefs., usually eating in big schools. The queen parrotfish lives in the tropical areas of the Western Atlantic, sometimes eats in groups of about four girls (female) and about one male. Parrothfish eat during day time and rest during darkness. Many kinds of parrotfish form a thin, small, transperant, cocoonlike covering around themselves at night and around them until day. Parrot Fish's powerful teeth are used to bite and crush pieces of coral to extract algae and polyps for food. The crushed coral (sand) is then expelled from the gill openings of the fish.As the algae is removed bits of coral are removed with it and passed to the throat where pharyngeal teeth supply a kind of chewing surface where the algae is ground into digestible bits.1) Girls and Boys
-In some Parott Fish Species, One boy can reside over a group of girls. He he dies, the dominant girl will change into a boy, even adapting his color. If another boy moves in, that same fish will probably turn back to a female. 3) What do Parrot fish eat?
A Parrot fish's diet, which consists primarily of algae taken from chunks of coral reef. The coral is pulverized with grinding teeth in the fishe's throat in order to get to the algae-filled polyps (corral) inside. Much of the sand in the parrot fish's range is actually the ground-up, undigested coral they excrete. 4.
Humans eating Parrot Fish?
Yes, some people do eat parrot fish, but their meat is rarely bought in the United States, but it is a special food in many other areas of the world. In Polynesia, it is served raw and was once called "royal food," only eaten by the king. 4.
General Information
Parrotfish is the name of a group of about 75 kinds of fish that is called the Scaridae family, live close to coral reefs in tropical and subtropical waters. They get their interesting name from their different front teeth, which look like a parrot's beak. Most Parrotfish grow to well over 12 inches in length in an aquarium, and the largest member of this family reaches an adult size of over 60 inches in length in the wild. There are almost 80 species of Parrot fish known to mankind. 4.Parrot Fish are closely related to the fish called Wrasse.
Appearance and Size
Most Parrotfish range in size from 4 inches to more than 4 feet. They have big bodies with huge, thick scales. Most parrotfish are brightly colored, and most change their color during their lifetime. In some kinds, a fish born female will later become a male. Parrot Fish can be distinctly recognized by there beak like teeth.
How do parrot fish eat?
Parrot fish usually eat algae which they scrape off rocks and corals with their big strong teeth. Most parrotfish eat sea grass close to coral reefs., usually eating in big schools. The queen parrotfish lives in the tropical areas of the Western Atlantic, sometimes eats in groups of about four girls (female) and about one male. Parrothfish eat during day time and rest during darkness. Many kinds of parrotfish form a thin, small, transperant, cocoonlike covering around themselves at night and around them until day. Parrot Fish's powerful teeth are used to bite and crush pieces of coral to extract algae and polyps for food. The crushed coral (sand) is then expelled from the gill openings of the fish.As the algae is removed bits of coral are removed with it and passed to the throat where pharyngeal teeth supply a kind of chewing surface where the algae is ground into digestible bits.1)
Girls and Boys
-In some Parott Fish Species, One boy can reside over a group of girls. He he dies, the dominant girl will change into a boy, even adapting his color. If another boy moves in, that same fish will probably turn back to a female. 3)
What do Parrot fish eat?
A Parrot fish's diet, which consists primarily of algae taken from chunks of coral reef. The coral is pulverized with grinding teeth in the fishe's throat in order to get to the algae-filled polyps (corral) inside. Much of the sand in the parrot fish's range is actually the ground-up, undigested coral they excrete. 4.
Humans eating Parrot Fish?
Yes, some people do eat parrot fish, but their meat is rarely bought in the United States, but it is a special food in many other areas of the world. In Polynesia, it is served raw and was once called "royal food," only eaten by the king. 4.
2. Here is a parrot fish in a corral reef
RESOURCES: 1. http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar415900&st=parrot+fish.
2.http://nh.essortment.com/parrotfish_rzbj.htm
3. http://www.sheddaquarium.org/parrotfish.html
4. http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/parrot-fish.html
PICTURE RESOURCES
1. http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/parrot-fish.html
2.http://www.eagleraydivers.com/images/Parrotfish.jpg
3.http://www.worth1000.com/entries/171000/171202SxAW_w.jpg
Of course, people like to make fun of the Parrot fish, shown to the left. 3.